Labour MP Ian Castaldi Paris was removed from the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, with his place taken up by fellow Labour MP Jonathan Attard.
The substitution was announced in a motion moved in parliament by Chris Fearne as Leader of the House. No reason was given.
Times of Malta reached out to the Labour MP, who did not reply to questions.
Castaldi Paris has been in the eye of a storm since revelations that he had discussed buying a £16 million (€18.7m) property in London with Yorgen Fenech. He told Malta Today that he was bluffing to Fenech when discussing the purchase.
Times of Malta revealed this week that the Inland Revenue Department has asked the UK tax authorities to share any information they may have about the MP.
According to obligatory financial filings made to parliament, Castaldi Paris has a modest €18,200 in bank savings. He also declared ownership of a property in Lija, bought against a bank loan.
He also owns another three properties in Lija, Attard and Santa Venera via a Maltese company jointly owned with his wife. The latter three properties were not mentioned in his asset declaration, with Castaldi Paris saying he did not list them as they are owned through the company E&M Properties.
Chats with Fenech
Fenech initiated the September 2019 chat with Castaldi Paris after getting wind of his interest in a €3.1 million property in Mdina. The Tumas Group magnate apologised for muscling in on the property, saying he would be willing to cede a promise of sale if Castaldi Paris wanted the pricey property overlooking the Mdina bastions.
Castaldi Paris replied to Fenech by saying his intention was to renovate the property and flip it for a profit. He also told Fenech he owns three properties in London and was now looking for a “big mansion” after losing out on the Mdina deal.
Cutajar taken off CoE delegation
In another substitution on Monday, Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar was removed from the parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, sparing her having to answer breach of conduct accusations before the council's rules committee next month. Cutajar is being investigated over a 2019 speech in which she shot down a colleague’s report into the Daphne Caruana Galizia case and the rule of law in Malta.
Cutajar, who on Monday said she was not removed but had requested substitution months ago, was substituted by Miriam Dalli.